Combined wardrobe and traveling-trunk.



Patented Ian. 2|, 1902.

(Application filed Ah 12, 1901.

(No Model.)

2 SheetsS heet I.

a w V? we 7 V 5 6 J M L7 f, a,

N0. 69!,518. Pate hted Jan. 2|, I902.

E. WOLFFGANG. v

COMBINED WARDROBE AND TRAVELING TRUNK.

(Application filed Aug. 12, 1901.)

2 Sheets-Sheet 2.

(No Model.)

JI-iI-LLIIJ I L-LILIUUJUl-ll ms NORRIS versus co. PHOYO-LITMO, WASHINGTON. a. c

Unrrnn STATES Fries.

AT'ENT EMILIE XVOLFFGANG, OF BERLIN, GERMANY.

SPECIFICATION forming part of Letters Patent No. 691,518, dated January 21, 1902.

I Application filed August 12, 1901. Serial No. 71,785. (No model.)

To all whom it may concern: I

Be it known that I, EMILIE WoLFFeAnc,

' a subject of the German Emperor, residing and having my post-office address at Neuenburgerstrasse 35, Berlin, Germany, have invented centain new and useful Improvements in a Combined \Vardrobe and Traveling- Trunk, of which the following is a specification.

The present invention relates to a wardrobe adapted to be used as a traveling-trunk, in which clothes, linen, and the like are so arranged that on tilting up the said wardrobe in order to convert it into a traveling-trunk the articles contained therein do not become mixed or press undesirably upon each other.

The arrangement of a traveling-trunk in such a manner that on arriving at its destination the said trunk is placed on its narrow side or otherwise to be used as a cupboard or wardrobe or chest of drawers is, broadlyspeaking, not new. However, similar constructions hitherto used have had such disadvantages that they were very little used by travelers, chieliy on account of the fact that clothes, linen, and other articles were not so arranged that they could be easily taken out and putback again, but could only be taken out after the complicated removal of a frame, and, further, that in using the said wardrobe as a traveling-trunk the articles contained therein were not securely arranged and were consequently apt to press on each other and to become mixed. Especially for more expensive ladies and gentleinens clothing this is of great disadvantage, in consequence of which travelers have hitherto preferred ordinary traveling-trunks with inserted frames, in which the more expensive clothes are loosely arranged.

According to the present invention the combined wardrobe and traveling-trunk contains a compartment for clothes and another for linen, in which compartments the various articles are visible at a glance and can thus be identified and taken out at once. IVhen traveling, the said articles are so arranged that they cannot press upon each other or become mixed. The lower part of the travelingtrunk forms one compartment, which may be called a hanging-compartment, for clothes, sticks, umbrellas, and the like, while its cover forms the other compartment, of the nature of a cupboard, for linen, and at the same time is provided with drawers for boots, shoes, hats, and similar articles.

The manner of arranging clothes, linen, and the like in the traveling-trunk so as to protect themfrom becoming mixed and crumpled is shown in the annexed drawings.

Figure 1 shows a view of the open wardrobe standing upright with the doors of the cupboard for reception of linen opened. Fig. 2-

is a section of Fig. 1 on the line A A, the cupboard being. closed. Fig. 3 is a section on line B B of Fig. 1 through the open wardrobe, but with the doors of the linen-cupboard opened. Fig. 4shows a longitudinal section through the closed wardrobe, showing the manner of inserting articles of clothing. Figs. 5, 6, and 7 show a form of construction of an arrangement for fixing the clothes-holders-Fig. 5 in longitudinal section, and Fig. 6 in elevation in opened and Fig. 7 in closed position. Figs. 8 and 9 show views of the mechanism for opening and closing the said fixing arrangementFig. 8 in opened and Fig. 9 in closed position.

In Figs. 1 to 3, 1 represents the hangingcompartment, containing a cross-bar2 forsuspension of the clothes-holders 10 and arranged fairly close to the upper wall. It may also be provided with side pockets 8 and springs or straps 9, arranged in the corners for holding sticks and umbrellas. The linen-cupboard contains open shelves 4: and drawers 5.

Its shelves are closed by doors 6, which at the same time secure the drawers from opening.

In order to prevent the linen from becoming mixed, bands 7, provided with buckles, are arranged on the shelves, so that by means of said bands the linen can be fastened to the shelves. On the lower side of the shelves are hooks 8 over which the bands may be hung when packing.

The clothes-holders, which are of special construction, and an arrangement for fixing same to the rod 2, from which. they are suspended, serve to maintain the clothes in their position on the journey and to prevent them from becoming mixed. A clothes-holder of this description is shown in Fig. at, which at the same time shows its position in the trunk.

The new clothes-holder difiers from those hitherto known in the fact that in addition to a trousers-holder or cross-bar 11 it is provided with a frame 12, occupying the whole length of a coat, which frame is provided'with bands carrying fasteners 13, by means of which long garments can be held in place. At the same time the clothes-holder, movable on and suspended from the rod 2, before mentioned, can be fixed in position thereon by means of a mechanical fixing arrangement, and, if required, can also be firmly connected with another cross-bar, string, band, or the like 14, Fig. 1, at the opposite orlower end of the compartment by means of one of the fasteners 13. By means of these arrangements the garments are so kept that the separate pieces cannot get entangled or mixed no matter on What side the trunk is tilted. The clothes can be easily put over the holder-frame and are thus well protected, and since the clothes can always be put back on the said holderframe after use the trouble of packing the trunk'is removed. This arrangement of the traveling-trunk is of a special advantage,since it considerably facilitates the revision of the contents at the custom-house. On opening the trunk put up so as to'serve as a wardrobe the customs officials can easily see the contents, and the troublesome ransacking of the trunk is thus removed.

The mechanical arrangement of fixing the clothes-holder'to the rod on which it was pre viously movable can be made in different ways. -A practical arrangement of this kind is shown in Figs. 5 to 9.

The'cross-bar 2 consists-of a tube'which has a slot-shaped opening above. (See Figs. 8 and '9.) 'It is fixed to the end plate 17, the said end plate being fixed to the wall of the trunk, as shown in Fig. 1. Above the stationary cross-bar 2 is a vertically-movable comb-shaped rod 3, which when lowered locks or holds the hooks of all the clothes-holders in the positions they respectively occupy at that moment. The lifting or lowering and manner of fixing the said rod 3 can be easily seen from the drawings. In a branch tube 15 from the cross-bar 2 there moves a rod 18, which can be moved to and fro in said tube by meansof a button 19, passing through an angular slot 20, said rod being kept in tension by means of two springs 21 and 22. Then the button 19 is moved upward into the upper part of the slot 20, the spring 22 presses the bar 3 downward, while on the button being moved into the lower part of the slot the spring 21 presses the bar upward, the latter thus remaining fixed in both cases.

The combined wardrobe and trunk described above may besuitably used as a sample-trunk for commercial travelers, who can thus more easily show the goods to their customers. According to the nature of the goods, both sides of the trunk may then be made as a hanging-compartment or as a cupboard provided with a suitable number of shelves.

What I claim is- 1. A combined wardrobe and travelingtrunk comprising in combination a main part constitutingahanging-compartment and a lid part constituting a cupboard-compartment, clothes-holders in said hanging-compartment, consisting of frames and provided with means for holding the clothes thereon, a slotted crossbar for supporting said holders, a comb-like or serrated bar adapted to enter said slotted cross-bar for securing the holders in position, means for locking said serrated bar in its upper or lower position, shelves and drawers in said on pboard-compartment, means for securing articles on said shelves, and doors for closing both shelves and drawers, substantially as-described.

2. A combined wardrobe and travelingtrunk comprising in combination a main part constitutingahanging-compartment andalid part constituting a cupboard-compartment, clothes-holders in said hanging-compartment, consisting of frames and having bands or straps provided with fasteners for securing the clothes on said holders, a slotted crossbar for supporting said holders, a comb-like or serrated bar adapted to enter said slotted cross-bar for securing the holders in position, means for locking said serrated bar in its upper or lower position, shelves and drawers in said cupboard-compartment, straps or hands for securing articles on said shelves and doors for closing both shelves and drawers, substantially as described.

In witness whereof I have signed this specification in the presence of two Witnesses.

EMILIE VVOLFFGANG.

Witnesses:

MIcHAEL VoLK, LEONHARD SEIP. 

